


Don't Scare Me Like That

by thetiniestnerd



Category: Hot Wheels: Battle Force Five
Genre: Alcohol, Discussions of Underage Sex, Discussions of sex, Drinking Games, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pocky Game, Trans Male Character, Truth or Dare, Underage Drinking, daring people to kiss, it was all consensual don’t worry, it's all ultimately consensual don't worry, it’s just Zoom and it’s cause it’s the states and the law is 21 but still, trans!Spinner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-21 10:15:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15555522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetiniestnerd/pseuds/thetiniestnerd
Summary: Zoom has recovered from the Vandalian delirium-poison and is back to training, but Vert’s a little… unsure. Should Zoom be back in the field yet?Why’s he so worried, anyways?Post Season 1, Episode 10, “Man Down”.





	Don't Scare Me Like That

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lyssita_Lennon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyssita_Lennon/gifts), [LacePendragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LacePendragon/gifts).



> Also known as “Ashley is a ho for mutual pining and stupid young adults being stupid young adults.”

It’d been a day since the horribly intense mission on Vandal. Zoom was fine; he was out on the salt flats practicing landings with Sherman and Spinner. Vert, meanwhile, was pacing his bedroom floor, wearing a new track in the carpet.  _ This is stupid, _ he told himself yet again. He should have been out there, practicing with his team. Or working on the Saber. Or hell, even just making food or sleeping. Just  _ something _ other than pacing his room and obsessing over Zoom’s general state of wellbeing. 

_ Why _ was he even obsessing? The guy was fine. He’d woken up, Sage had cleared him, and even then he’d spent a day resting up. He’d been eager to get back to practice in the morning, and Sage had said it was fine. There was  _ no _ logical reason for him to be this worried. 

Really, he knew why he was worrying, but that didn’t help the problem.

Vert sighed heavily and flopped over onto his bed. The bedspread - a thick red comforter with white stripes - slumped onto the floor. Vert glanced at it out of the corner of his eye, sighed, and chose to ignore it. He threw an arm over his eyes and sighed again. He could hear someone else in the kitchen down the hall. Knowing who was home, he had to assume it was Agura. Stanford didn’t cook much after the Pasta Incident. 

Sure enough, less than a minute later, Vert heard Stanford turn on his speakers in his room across the hall. Vert groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. 

At the very least, the overbearing music kept him distracted. That, and the sound of Agura pounding on the door and shouting at Stanford to “turn that shit down, asshole!” 

Vert’s thoughts turned back to Zoom despite himself. Everything about the last forty-eight hours had been terrifying. Zoom had almost  _ died _ . They’d barely made it back with a minute to spare, and his heart had actually  _ stopped _ . He’d made it - thank  _ God _ \- but they couldn’t have cut it any closer.

Vert hadn’t slept much that night.

The sound of the heart monitor stopping and going flat had haunted him for hours. He’d only been able to get some sleep in the early hours of the morning, once he’d plugged in earbuds and drowned out the memory of the sound. 

Vert’s phone beeped. Brow furrowing, he sat up and snatched it from his nightstand. The text was from A.J., Vert’s long time best friend. He was still living in the Yukon, and they chatted now and then, when Vert could find the time and ways to explain what was going on in his life without explaining aliens and the multiverse. 

_ How’s Zoom? _ The text read. Vert had told him a half-truth about what had happened to Zoom, after they’d managed to get the antidote and make sure he was okay. A.J., more than anyone else, knew about his feelings for Zoom. He’d gushed about Zoom to him not long after they’d met, late one night when he was a little drunk and everyone else was asleep. Ever since, A.J. texted him periodically to ask what was up.

_ He’s doing great _ , Vert replied.  _ He’s out driving with the twins. _

_ Awesome, dude _

_ Yeah _

_ You still swooning over him from the background? ;) _

Vert laughed and rolled his eyes at his phone.  _ Shut up _

_ Knew it. _

_ LOOK _

A.J.’s only response to that was a cry-laughing emoji. 

Vert replied with the knife emoji.

_ Are you EVER gonna tell him? _

Vert sighed.  _ IDK _

_ :’( _

_ Dude _

_ What? Just kiss the boy, Vert _

_ AJ! _

_ KISS THE CUTE BOY VERT _

_ AJ IM GONNA BLOCK YOU _

_ FUCK YOU VERT _

_ FUCK YOU.  _ Vert laughed as he watched A.J.’s typing bubble appear and disappear. A.J. was right, and he knew it. He really should tell Zoom. Or ask him out. Or kiss him. Or just  _ something _ , other than brooding over his crush in his bedroom like a lovesick teenager. 

_ Vert I swear I will come down to Handler’s and make you tell him _

_ If you show up here I’ll fight you _

_ Bring it _

Vert replied with a boxing glove emoji, which A.J. promptly copied and sent back, times three. Things escalated from there, until his phone was lagging and nearly crashing form the number of boxing gloves on his screen. At least it was making Vert laugh, instead of moping. 

_ Alright, before my phone actually explodes, I’m gonna take a nap _

_ Have good dreams ;) _

_ AJ I fucking hate you _

_ No you don’t _

_ I gueeeeeeess _

_ I AM A RAY OF SUNSHINE VERT WHEELER _

_ I’m muting my phone now…  _

Vert set his phone back on his nightstand, muted, and stretched out on his bed. At least he could talk to A.J., even if he just thought that Zoom had gotten a really sketchy stomach bug, instead of being poisoned by an alien mutant bug. He still understood. 

Vert drifted off much easier than he’d expected to, but then again, he hadn’t really slept.

  
  


When Vert woke up, his alarm clock told him that it was shortly after five. The music had been turned down - and moved, if the way it layered with the conversations from the kitchen was anything to go by. It sounded like the others were home. Probably having dinner or something, given the time. Vert sighed and sat up slowly, stretching. 

Upon opening his door, Vert was immediately greeted by the smell of taco seasoning. He left his bedroom door half open and made his way to the kitchen, passing Agura’s room on his right and Sherman’s on his left. The twins were chopping lettuce and tomato at the far end of the counter, and Agura was dealing with the meat. Stanford and Zoom sat on the couch, playing Smash Bros. Stanford was losing horrifically. Which was especially hilarious because Zoom was notoriously terrible at the game.

“Man, Stanford,” Vert joked. “Today is just not your day.”

“Oh, come off it!” He exclaimed. “He  _ has _ to have been practicing or something!” He gestured to the screen as Zoom’s character - a Pikachu, Vert noticed - kicked Stanford’s Link off the screen.

“Yeet!” Zoom shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. The end screen for the match came up, declaring Zoom the victor. He’d barely even been damaged. Zoom cackled, then turned to Vert. “Think you can beat me?”

Vert felt a flush run up his neck. Biting the inside of his cheek, he took the controller that Stanford dropped onto the couch cushion. He stood up, muttering something about getting a drink, and sauntered off to the fridge. Vert rolled his eyes and took his place. The character select screen came up again; Vert swapped over to Sonic.

Zoom scoffed. “Really?  _ Sonic _ ?” 

Vert gave him a joking shrug and a flat look. “Obviously. He’s the best character!”

Zoom rolled his eyes and picked a random stage. “You’re clearly delusional. There are, like, at  _ least  _ ten better characters.”

Vert snorted. “You have never been more wrong, dude.”

Zoom raised his eyebrows and wiggled his head in a sassy manner. Vert chose to ignore it and instead deliver an absolute ass-whooping. Zoom may have beaten Stanford, but he still sucked at the game compared to the rest of the team. Zoom managed to knock off one of his lives, but otherwise Vert managed to get out unscathed. 

By the time they’d finished their round, Zoom yelling indignantly about how “Pikachu would totally beat Sonic, what the hell”, the tacos were done. Vert got up to help serve the food and find the condiments. The fridge had a tendency to be a disorganized mess. 

“He’s electric!” Zoom exclaimed. “He’d just, like, fry Sonic!”

Vert snorted. “He’s too fast, dude.”

“Ever heard of the speed of  _ light _ , dude?”

Vert sighed heavily. He looked up, trying to find a retort, and was stopped by Zoom’s cheeky grin. He stood with his hip cocked, leaning into the counter. His chin was tipped up and he grinned up at Vert, looking like he was hot shit. Very flushed and rolled his eyes, forcing himself to look away. 

“Check, dude,” Zoom said, brushing past Vert to get to the tacos.

“It’s check _ mate _ , dude,” Spinner pointed out. He was already shoving a taco in his mouth. 

“No, check,” Zoom insisted. Vert choked back a laugh at the barely-suppressed angry huff Spinner let out. 

“He’s fucking with you, dude,” Sherman declared, laying a hand on his brother’s shoulder. Spinner huffed again, and Zoom just poked his tongue out of the corner of his mouth and snagged two taco shells. He practically skipped back over to the couch, claiming a spot in the corner of it before someone else could. 

Vert waited for the others to get food. Agura shot him a look as she was making her tacos, and Vert only shrugged. He was pretty sure she was the only one of the team that had any idea what kind of crisis Zoom put him through. 

Because seriously, he’d known he was bi for years. It shouldn’t  _ be _ a crisis.

Agura gave him a quick little hip bump as she carried her plate and a plastic cup with her to the living space. Vert caught a faint whiff of alcohol and wondered if the others were drinking too. They were all legal except for Zoom, which was really just because the US had a higher age than most places. They guy was a month off from twenty, after all, and none of them really cared that much. He’d drank a few times, but he was always really moderate about it given the fact that he was the only one who could fall  _ off _ his vehicle. It being a  _ flying motorcycle, _ they didn’t really want to risk that. But the rest of them were legal, and they drank from time to time. Mostly when Sage could give them a reasonably sure promise that there’d be no Stormshock in the near future. Which she had that night.

Vert contemplated mixing himself something, but decided not to. The last thing he needed was to be drunk  _ and  _ lovesick. He finished making his tacos and joined the others.

“How long has it even been since we’ve had a proper night off?” Stanford asked. He was gesturing with a plastic cup in his hand, and Vert knew that by the time he’d finished that drink off, he’d already be halfway to drunk. Stanford was the biggest lightweight he’d ever met. And boy, did he like to sing when he was drunk. Badly.

So, so badly.

“A month?” Sherman offered.

“Feels like  _ years _ ,” Spinner whined. Vert wasn’t looking, but he heard Agura and Zoom scoff. 

“Well,  _ I _ say we enjoy it,” Stanford declared. 

“And in what way do you suggest we do that?” Agura asked.

“Well… we should play a game or something!” He exclaimed.

“We don’t have any six player games, dude,” Spinner said.

“No, not a  _ video _ game,” Stanford sighed. 

“We don’t have any board games,” Sherman added. Vert glanced around at the others. It looked like Agura had completely checked out of the conversation. Zoom was just perching on the arm of the couch watching the brothers and Stanford argue. 

“Well then, we should play something else!”

“Like what?” Zoom asked. “Truth or dare?”

“Yeah!” Stanford exclaimed, raising his fists in the air. His cup was mostly empty. 

“ _ Why _ do you want to play truth or dare?” Agura groaned. “Are you trying to sleep with one of us?”

Stanford, who’d been taking a sip from his drink, spluttered. “Wha-  _ NO _ !” Spinner cackled, earning a glare from Stanford. “I just want to play it. Never played before.”

The group fell silent for a second after that, all remembering the small, sad details they’d heard of Stanford’s childhood. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind,” Sherman said after a minute. 

“Same,” Zoom added. The others quickly threw in their approval, and in the next minute they were sitting in a circle on the floor. Vert sat in front of the armchair, using it as a back rest. The other all leaned on the furniture too.

“Okay, who wants to start?” Stanford asked. 

“You mean ask the first one or be asked?” Sherman asked.

Stanford hummed, brow furrowed for a few seconds. “Be asked first.”

Zoom half-raised one hand. “I’ll go,” he offered. 

“Truth or dare?” Stanford asked. He was grinning widely. 

Zoom hummed to himself for a second. “Truuuuuth…” He finally said slowly.

Stanford flicked his eyes up to the ceiling, cocking his head. “If you didn’t have the Chopper, which of our vehicles would you want?”

“The Saber,” Zoom replied easily. “Cause it’s like if you put two Choppers together.”

Vert tried not to blush at that.

“Alright, Spinner,” Zoom said. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare,” he said, grinning wickedly. “Bring it.”

Zoom snickered. “Alright. I dare you to eat a spoonful of mayonnaise.”

Spinner grimaced. “Really, dude?” Zoom only grinned wider. Spinner groaned, throwing his head back and really drawing it out. Agura finally kicked his leg and he huffed. He stood, and he and Zoom made their way over to the fridge. 

Spinner pulled the mayo out with a whine. “You could always back out,” Zoom teased. “Though that would mean I get to make you a shot.”

“Since when?!” Spinner exclaimed. 

“Since I said so,” Zoom declared. There were a few seconds of intense glares being traded before Spinner sighed and reached for the cutlery drawer. The rest of the team watched in mild horror as Spinner scooped out a spoonful of mayo and shoved it in his mouth. He grimaced and let out a high-pitched whining noise. He flapped one of his hands and made a bunch of weird faces, until he finally swallowed the mayo and chugged the rest of his drink. 

“You are an  _ evil _ man,” he wheezed. Zoom only chuckled and strutted back to the couch.

Like, literally  _ strutted. _ Vert tried to pretend that he wasn’t dying inside. 

Spinner targeted Agura, daring her to do a handstand. She did, easily, and Spinner returned to his seat sadly. Sherman patted his shoulder.

“Vert,” she said, smiling down at him from her new perch on the couch arm. He jumped slightly and looked up. “Truth or dare?”

“Uhhhhhhh…” Vert really didn’t know what to pick. Both were pretty damn risky. “Dare?” 

Agura grinned and took another swig of her drink. “Dare you to do a cartwheel”

“ _ Why? _ ” Vert exclaimed. 

Agura chuckled. “Cause it’s funny.”

Vert sighed and stood up.  _ I’m gonna die _ , he thought. He shuffled over to the dining area and pushed the table towards the wall more. He stared at the floor, head cocked, and tried to figure out how a cartwheel worked. “I…” He trailed off.

“Don’t know how to do one, huh?” Agura teased. Vert’s shoulders slumped and he sighed, nodding. Agura grinned and set her drink down on the floor. “Time for a shot!”

“Shot!” Zoom cheered, and the rest quickly joined in, chanting as Agura urged Vert into the kitchen. She pulled down a few bottles of alcohol, contemplating each. She settled on a chocolate liqueur, grinning to herself. She poured the shot for Vert and handed it to him before making her way back to her spot on the floor. Vert followed with his shot glass, eyeing it cautiously. 

It was chocolate. How bad could it be?

He took the shot, then grimaced. “Why is it  _ bitter _ ?”

Agura cackled. “I don’t know, dude.”

Vert coughed and set the shot glass between the armchair and the couch, where no one was likely to step on it. He cast a glance around the circle, trying to come up with something to ask any of them. 

“Sherman,” he finally said, after a moment’s contemplation. 

“Truth,” Sherman replied easily. Vert wracked his brain for something to ask him. 

“What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever caught Spinner doing?”

Sherman laughed while Spinner squawked and tried to say that that wasn’t fair. “I caught him trying to take apart a wall socket so he could lick it once.”

“ _ I was five! _ ” Spinner shouted, punching Sherman’s arm. 

“That…” Agura trailed off for a second. “That is  _ definitely _ old enough to know better.”

“Did he succeed?” Stanford asked. “Because that would explain so much.”

Spinner whipped one of the throw cushions at Stanford, nailing him in the face. They all snickered. 

“Nah,” Sherman replied. “Our nana came in while I was trying to help him get the cover off and took our tool set away.”

“Alright, it’s your turn,” Spinner declared, still looking a little huffy and embarrassed. 

“Zoom,” Sherman said immediately.

“Dare!” Zoom yelled, grinning and slapping his hands on the floor in front of him. He was bouncing in his seat, and Vert realized then that Zoom probably hadn’t played truth or dare before either. He doubted that was something they did in the Order.

“Arm wrestle,” Sherman declared. Zoom cheered and sprang up from his spot, darting over to the counter. Sherman followed, and after a few seconds the others got up to watch too. Agura assumed the role of referee, making sure things were fair. 

“One round or best of three?” Zoom asked.

“One,” Sherman replied.

Zoom nodded. “Alright,” Agura said, “Three, two, one!”

Their hands didn’t move from their starting positions immediately. To Sherman’s bewilderment, apparently, if the shocked look on his face was anything to go by. Then, slowly, Sherman’s hand inched towards the counter. His face turned red as he tried to fight back.

Zoom, meanwhile, made it look incredibly easy. He was  _ grinning _ . Vert caught sight of his arm, and barely choked back a gasp. The lean muscles that they’d all known were there stood out. Vert fought against the urge to stare. 

He couldn’t, however, fight the fact that he found it incredibly hot.

Zoom ended up winning, and the group erupted into cheers. Zoom bowed before returning to his seat. Once they were all seated, Zoom promptly pointed at Vert. “Truth or dare?”

Vert’s eyes widened as he tried to decide which of the two was less dangerous. “Uhhhhhhhh daaare?” He finally answered. Vert figured it was unlikely that Zoom would dare him to do something that’d expose him.

“I dare you to… take your shirt off until the next time you’re dared or truthed,” Zoom declared.

Vert promptly choked on his drink. “ _ Why?! _ ” his face was burning.

Zoom giggled and shrugged. “I feel like you have an embarrassing tattoo or something.”

“Tramp stamp!” Spinner shouted. 

Vert shot Spinner a glare. He could already feel his face turning red. He pulled his shirt off and set it in his lap, leaning back against the armchair again. He could feel the flush working up his neck.

“No!” Zoom yelled. “We have to know if there’s a tattoo!”

Vert groaned and put his face in his hands. “I hate you guys so much.”

“Holy shit,” Spinner whispered. “You  _ do _ have a tramp stamp!”

“ _ It’s not a tramp stamp! _ ” Vert shouted. His face and neck were burning. 

“Show us the tat!” Zoom yelled, arms straight up in the air. Vert grumbled and turned in his spot so the team could see.

“A checkered flag? Really, love?” Stanford teased. He was fighting back laughter; a courtesy the rest of the team wasn’t offering. “Not very subtle, is it?”

Vert turned around again so he could lean on the chair and whipped his shirt at Stanford’s face. Stanford squawked and flailed, nearly smacking Agura. She shoved him and he went sprawling against Sherman. Sherman righted Stanford, who tried to throw Vert’s shirt back to him, but it ended up landing closer to Zoom. Zoom pulled it closer to him with his foot, claiming he was going to hold onto it so Vert couldn’t “cheat”. 

“Nice throw,” Vert said drily. Stanford flipped him off.

“Who’s next, Vert?” Agura asked. She looked pretty smug, for someone who hadn’t done anything. 

“You,” he replied with a sigh. 

“Dare,” she replied easily. 

“Take your bra off. I’m not being the only one removing clothes.”

Agura grinned and reached behind her, popping the clasp on her bra through her shirt. She slid the straps out of her t-shirt sleeves and pulled the bra out one sleeve, dropping it next to her. “There. Perv.”

“I’m not-” Vert cut himself off. They weren’t going to listen anyways. With a sigh, he got up and trudged towards the fridge. 

“Hey, where’re you going?” Stanford exclaimed. 

“I’m getting a beer,” Vert replied miserably. 

“Stanford?” Agura said. Stanford jolted and turned to look at her. “Truth or dare?”

Stanford’s eyes went wide. Vert couldn’t blame him; the look in Agura’s eyes was menacing, even from where he stood by the fridge. He plucked a beer out of the door shelf and hurried back to his spot. This was going to be good.

Stanford winced. “Dare?” 

“Show everyone  _ your _ tramp stamp.”

Vert choked on his beer, coughing hard. He thumped a fist against his chest.

“Shot,” Stanford replied, holding his head in his hands. 

“ _ What?! _ ” Spinner cried. “How bad is it?!”

Stanford sighed deeply and motioned to the bottles of alcohol on the counter. “Shot.”

Agura shook her head and sighed, but she got up and poured Stanford a shot of tequila. 

“ _ What the fuck is it? _ ” Spinner whispered. His eyes were  _ huge _ , and he was staring at Stanford. 

“I’m  _ not _ showing you lot,” he replied, downing the shot with a grimace. “I am  _ not _ drunk enough for that.”

Spinner muttered something about keeping that in mind, and Stanford turned to him. “Your turn.”

“Truth,” Spinner replied immediately. 

“How old were you when you lost your virginity?” Stanford asked. 

“Seventeen,” he replied easily. He sipped at his hard lemonade. “It was senior prom.”

Stanford sighed, clearly mad that Spinner was so casual about it, and took another sip of his cooler. Spinner glanced around the room, settling on Zoom. “Truth or dare”

Zoom hummed thoughtfully. “Truth.”

“How old were  _ you _ when you lost your virginity?”

“Haven’t,” he replied. “I lived in a monastery with my family my whole life, what the hell do you expect?” He took another swig from his cup.

Spinner huffed in disappointment. “I was hoping for some dramatic story.”

“Are we just gonna end up going around asking everyone?” Agura asked with a sigh.

“Probably,” Spinner replied. “Why, is yours embarrassing?”

Agura scoffed. “I literally do not give a fuck. The only question is what counts.”

Spinner cocked his head, clearly thinking. “Oral should count, right?”

The rest of the team agreed, and all eyes turned to Agura. She shrugged. “Fourteen,” she declared. “If we’re going by oral.”

Spinner choked on his drink. “ _ What?! _ ”

Agura shrugged. “Look man, there wasn’t much to do where I grew up. It was consensual, don’t worry about it.” She waved a hand dismissively.

“Were you the youngest of us all, then?” Spinner asked. Agura just shrugged, and Spinner looked around the room.

“I meannnn,” Stanford drawled. “I wasn’t much older.”

“What, fifteen?” Spinner asked. Stanford nodded. “Fair.”

Sherman snorted. “I mean, I lost mine the same night as Spin. We both took girls to senior prom and ended up sleeping with them.”

Everyone looked to Vert, who sighed. “Fifteen,” he declared.

“Huh,” Agura mumbled. Vert gave her a weary look. “I mean, I’m a little surprised I was the youngest, but eh.” She took another drink.

“Whose turn was it again?” Zoom asked.

“Yours, I think,” Spinner replied. “Cause I asked you and then we ended up going around the room.”

Zoom nodded. “Right, right, okay.” He hummed thoughtfully for a second. “Sherman.” 

Sherman sighed. “I don’t know which is more dangerous at this point.”

Zoom grinned. “Just pick one.”

Sherman huffed. “Dare.”

Zoom propped his chin up on one hand and squinted. “Take off your pants,” Zoom ordered.

Sherman groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Shot.”

“Oh, come on! Vert’s half naked already! Agura’s not wearing a bra!” Zoom cried.

“ _ Shot _ .” Sherman said again.

“Coward,” Zoom replied.

Sherman sighed heavily. “I’m not wearing underwear, okay?” Spinner screamed and covered his ears.

“Ah.” Zoom stood up and went over to the counter, returning with a bright blue shot.

“What is this?” Sherman asked. He turned the glass in his hand, peering at it warily.

“It’s just that bottle of blue shit over there with the weird C, I don’t know,” Zoom replied, sitting down again.

Sherman nodded. “Okay, thank God, I was worried.” He took the shot and set the glass aside without any more fussing. “Spinner.”

Spinner groaned. “I already fucking hate you. Truth.”

Sherman grinned from behind his cup. “What was the first thing that girl said when you took your pants off?”

Spinner sighed. “‘Cool, I know how that works’.”

Stanford blinked at Spinner. “Did you… forget to tell her you were trans?”

“Shut up,” Spinner mumbled.

Stanford just smiled and shrugged. “At least she wasn’t a bitch about it.”

Spinner smiled too. “Oh no, she was wonderful. I just forgot to tell her cause we moved districts for high school and I forgot that the people I went to high school with hadn’t known me when I was younger and didn’t know because of that.”

The rest of the group nodded. “Was she any good?” Zoom asked. Spinner  _ almost _ choked on his lemonade, but he managed to avoid it. He nodded, blushing.

Spinner turned to Zoom. “Your turn,” he declared. Vert threw his hands up in the air. He was starting to think that they were avoiding asking him so he’d have to sit shirtless longer.

“Dare,” he replied. 

“Do a backflip.”

“‘Kay.” Zoom stood and moved around the couch so that he was standing in the open space in the middle of the room. He did a backflip - flawlessly, Vert might add - and grinned at Spinner. “Don’t know why you thought that’d be hard.”

Spinner shrugged. “I was hoping you’d accidentally kick the lights out.”

Zoom scoffed and sat back down. “Stanford.” 

“Truth.” 

“How many people have you slept with?”

Stanford sighed. “It’s not  _ that _ many.” He paused for a minute, thinking. “How are we counting it?”

“Oral or better,” Zoom declared.

Vert snorted. “‘Or better’.”

“Shut up,” Zoom said, pointing at Vert before turning back to Stanford. 

“Like fourteen?” He said. It sounded a bit like a question. 

Spinner whistled. “That’s. That’s a lot, isn’t it?”

“Not really,” Agura said. “I mean, Stanford’s pretty old.” 

“I am not!” He exclaimed. She just snickered. “Oh, like yours is much better, princess.”

Agura’s expression went dark for a second at the pet name, and Stanford recoiled. “Actually, it’s only four. No, five.”

“Well, I’m at two, so fuck you guys,” Spinner declared. 

“Not interested,” Vert replied.

“Not like  _ that _ !” Spinner shouted. He chucked a throw pillow at Vert. He just caught it and tucked it behind his back.

“What about you, Sherm?” Zoom asked. “Since we’re all sharing again.”

Sherman sighed. “Three.” 

All eyes once again turned to Vert, who winced. “Gimme a second.”

Stanford raised his eyebrows at Vert. “Oh,  _ puh-lease _ . It can _ not _ be that bad.”

Vert sighed, still trying to run the numbers in his head. “It’s bad.”

“You’re exaggerating,” Stanford said.

Vert settled on the number and winced again. “No it’s… it’s pretty bad.”

“You’re full of it.”

“I’m really not.”

“It can’t be much worse than mine, come  _ on _ .”

“You’re gonna make fun of me.”

“Out with it.”

Vert sighed. “Like a hundred and twenty?”

The group erupted into various screams and shouts. It took a minute for them to settle down. Vert, meanwhile, considered sprinting into the desert to avoid it all. 

“Holy  _ shit _ Vert,” Spinner whispered. “You’re kind of a ho.”

“I know,” Vert sighed. “Shut up.”

“What, are most of those repeat occurrences with the same people?”

Vert sighed. “ _ Nope _ .” Stanford choked. 

“That’s the number of  _ individual people?! _ ”

“Yep.”

“Tell me those weren’t since we got here,” Spinner whined.

“No, no,” Vert replied. “Most of them were like, two years ago?”

“ _ Why _ ?” Stanford asked. He was leaning forward and shooting Vert a very concerned look.

“I don’t  _ know _ man,” Vert groaned. 

“How many of them did you pick up in a bar?” Agura asked. She looked  _ really _ smug, leaned back against the wall with her drink held casually around the rim.

“Most of them,” Vert replied.

“Do you remember their names?” She asked. 

Vert sighed and put his head in his hands.

“Do you?”

“ _ No _ .”

Agura cackled. “God, you’re kind of a slut.”

Vert nodded, frowning. “Yup. Trust me, you’re not the only one who thinks so. A.J. still won’t let me hear the end of it.”

“He  _ shouldn’t _ !” Stanford exclaimed.

“Can we please move on now?” Vert whined. 

“Alright, alright,” Stanford said. “Agura.”

“Dare.”

“Take your pants off.” 

Agura raised her eyebrows but wiggled out of her jeans. She bundled them up with her bra and threw them at Stanford, who yelped. “I’ll be coming to collect later,” she declared. The rest of the group whooped and cheered while Stanford blushed a little.

Once everyone quieted down, Agura turned towards Vert. “Truth or dare, Vert.”

“Thank you,” Vert whispered, reaching for his shirt that sat between him and Zoom. Zoom snatched it away from him. “Hey!”

“You can’t have it yet,” Zoom declared. “Cause if you wuss out you have to wait.”

“That’s not what you said!” Vert exclaimed. “You said until I was dared again, and I was!”

Zoom rolled his eyes. “Fiiiine, but you have to do it first.”

Vert grumbled and turned back to Agura. “Dare.”

Agura hummed, smiling. “Do you have Grace’s number?”

“Thought this was a dare.”

“It is, but it’s important for this dare if you’re gonna do it.”

Vert sighed. “Yes.”

Agura nodded. “Alright, call her and ask her which one of us she thinks is the hottest. And you can’t tell her it’s a dare or that she’s on speaker.”

Vert raised his eyebrows and shrugged, pulling his phone from his jeans pocket. He already knew what her answer was going to be. “You’ll all have to be quiet so she doesn’t hear you.”

The group nodded and he pulled up her contact page and hit the call button. He switched it to speaker, holding it screen up in his hand as it rang.

Grace picked up on the second ring. “Hey Vert, what’s up?”

“Not much,” he replied. “Just wanted to ask you a question.”

He could hear Grace’s sigh over the speaker. “What’d you do this time?”

The team barely choked back their laughter. “I didn’t do anything!” Vert exclaimed.

“Yeah, okay.”

Vert sighed. “It’s about my race team, not me doing something dumb.”

“Ah, so not like the last time you called me like this to ask if I could borrow Zeke’s truck and come tow your stupid ass back to town after you tried to jump a cactus pit on a broken dirt bike?”

Spinner had to double over and curl into a ball to avoid laughing loud enough for Grace to hear him. Vert sighed again. “No. Not like that.”

“Alright, cool, what’s up then?”

“I… I need to know who you think is… hottest. For… reasons.”

“One; you’re sketchy as hell, Vert Wheeler. Two; the answer is clearly Agura.”

Agura cheered while the rest of the team laughed and shouted indignantly. Vert sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. 

“Hi guys,” Grace said, giggling. 

“I’m hanging up now,” Vert declared. 

“You’re welcome,” Grace replied. Vert sighed and hung up the phone. 

“How rude!” Stanford exclaimed. “I offered to take her on a date and everything!”

Vert snorted. “Hate to break it to you, dude, but she’s a lesbian.”

Stanford’s eyes widened. “ _ Then why did she go on a date with Zoom?!? _ ”

Zoom laughed, throwing his head back. “Man, we just pretended to go on a date to fuck with you guys. It was  _ great _ .”

Stanford spluttered. “You  _ knew?! _ ”

“Oh yeah.”

“ _ How?! _ ”

“I told her we should do something to fuck with you guys.”

“That doesn’t explain how you knew she was a lesbian,” Spinner said. 

“She told me.”

“Why would she just  _ tell _ you?” Spinner asked. 

“Cause I told her I had no interest in her and that we should fake it just to piss you off.”

“ _ Why _ would you not be interested in her?!” Stanford cried. 

“Cause I’m gay as fuck?” Zoom replied.

_ Well that’s handy, _ Vert thought. He shook his head a tiny bit at the thought and tried not to blush.

“And she just  _ went  _ with it?” Stanford asked.

Zoom snorted. “Nah man, she  _ planned _ most of it. I told her ‘we should do something to fuck with them’ and she said ‘we could go on a date’ and I was like ‘I’m gay as hell’ and she was like ‘same’ and then we pretended to go on one to piss you off.”

Everyone except for Stanford was cackling. “That doesn’t explain why Vert was flirting with her!” Stanford shouted.

Vert shrugged. “It’s funny.”

Stanford scoffed and laid his head back on the couch cushions. “I hate all of you,” he declared.

“Yeah, yeah,” Vert said. He grabbed his shirt and pulled it back on. “Sherman.”

“Truth.”

“If you had to sleep with one of us, and you can’t say Agura, who would it be?”

Sherman closed his eyes and sighed heavily. “You suck.”

“I’m aware,” Vert replied. He went to take a sip from his beer and found it empty. When had that happened? He got up to get another, taking the empty shot glasses with him. 

“Stanford,” Sherman muttered.

“Why me?!” Stanford exclaimed. 

“Zoom’s too much like Spin and Vert’s a ho.”

“Alright!” Vert cried. Zoom, Agura, and Spinner snickered. He sat back down and cracked open the beer he’d grabbed.

“I’m picking Spinner,” Sherman said with a sigh.

“Truth.”

“Why are you like this?”

Spinner laughed. “You pushed me off the counter as a toddler.”

Sherman nodded and took a long drink.

“Vert!” Spinner yelled.

“Huh?”

“Truth or dare?”

Vert furrowed his brows. It was kind of weird that he was being asked again, so soon, but whatever. “Dare?”

“Kiss Stanford.”

Stanford screeched and tried to reach around Sherman to swatted Spinner. Vert just laughed, leaning forward and propping his head up in his hands as he cackled. Sherman finally separated the two.

“I am  _ not _ kissing him!” Stanford exclaimed.

“If you back out you have to take the shot,” Zoom declared. He was leaning his chin on his hand like this was the most casual thing in the world. 

“Then I’ll do the shot!” Stanford yelled.

“Even if it’s jaeger?” Agura asked, smirking. Stanford grimaced and paled.

“Fuck you.”

“Maybe later.”

Stanford went from pale to bright red and buried his head in his hands. “I hate you all.”

“Kay, wait,” Vert said, holding up a hand. “Am I just supposed to peck him or what?”

“Well don’t be a  _ coward  _ about it,” Spinner replied. 

Vert raised both eyebrows. “Don’t test me Spin.”

Stanford groaned. “Oh for the love of- Can we just get this over with?”

Vert grinned. He had a shot and a beer in him, and he had revenge to get for the comments about his tattoo. “Get over here then,  _ love _ .” He did his best mockery of Stanford’s accent, knowing fully well how bad it was. Spinner snickered.

Stanford huffed and rose up on his knees, shuffling over to the middle of the circle. Vert did the same, grinning down at Stanford. Stanford looked a little unsure and mostly annoyed. 

Vert grabbed him by the back of the head and yanked him in. He was going to get revenge if it killed him, audience be damned.

Stanford gasped, which was exactly what Vert had been counting on. He slipped his tongue into Stanford’s mouth, not missing the way his breath hitched just the tiniest bit. He made sure to draw things out for a few more seconds before pulling back. He also made sure to catch Stanford’s lower lip between his teeth and tug it as he backed away. 

Stanford blinked a few times once Vert had let him go. “What the fuck?” He finally whispered. Vert grinned wider.

“That,” he said, poking Stanford in the chest and sending him sprawling back on the floor, “is for the jokes about my tattoo.”

The others laughed. Spinner laughed so hard he fell against Sherman, who just rolled his eyes and sat him back up. Vert settled back into his spot, and Stanford did too after a minute. He was still grumbling. 

Vert was stuck wondering about the way Stanford had reacted to the kiss. It didn’t seem like the way a straight guy would react to being kissed by a dude; Vert would know, he’d played truth or dare enough in high school. But he’d definitely been interested in Grace too, and Vert was reasonably sure he and Agura were secretly together. So was he bi?

Was Vert not the only bi one on the team?

It took a minute for the team to compose themselves again. “It’s your turn, Vert,” Sherman declared. His voice startled Vert out of his thoughts. “Why do you look so confused?”

“He generally does,” Agura said. Vert shot her a flat look. She just shrugged.

“Trying to decide who to target,” Vert lied easily. He wanted to ask Stanford if he was bi now, but he also wasn’t sure if that was okay. If he was closeted or something, Vert didn’t want to out him. He’d been terrified of telling the team until Zoom had mentioned being gay and no one had even blinked.

It was possible he was overthinking it a little bit.

“Stanford.”

“I’m not fucking kissing you again.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“I’m still picking truth,” Stanford declared, shooting Vert a wary glance. 

Vert opened his mouth to ask, but he hesitated. He closed his mouth, brow furrowed. “Do you not have one?” Spinner asked.

“Kinda, but…”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, just ask it,” Stanford groaned. “You can’t rob me of any more of my dignity, after all.”

Vert snorted. “Not really a dignity concern so much as whether you’d wanna answer.”

Stanford sighed. “I don’t fucking  _ care _ .”

Vert shrugged. That was all the permission he needed, really. “Are you actually straight?”

Stanford laughed, covering his face with one hand and shaking his head. “ _ God _ no. But I’m also not interested in you, if that’s why you ask.”

Vert shuddered. “Yuck. No.”

“So are you gay, or..?” Spinner trailed off. 

“Bi, actually,” Stanford declared. 

Zoom whooped and leaned back, which led to the couch scooting back and him falling on his back. Still, he raised his fists up in the air. “I’m not the only queer!” He shouted. 

Stanford put his head in his hands, laughing. “No, no you’re not.”

Vert cocked his head at Zoom. “You alright there?”

Zoom turned his head to the side and looked up at him, grinning. “Yeah. Just glad I’m not the only one.”

Vert smiled softly, nodding. He looked away from Zoom, at the floor in front of him. “Yeah, I- Same.”

Zoom cheered again, pumping his fists. “Whoo! Half the team! Suck it, statistics!”

The whole team laughed at that, and Zoom eventually picked himself up and righted the couch. 

“Stanford’s turn, right?” Zoom asked. He was still grinning and slightly flushed. It was adorable, if Vert was honest. He couldn’t blame the guy either; he was really glad it wasn’t just him. 

It helped that Zoom being gay made his fever dream a little more realistic. 

“Spinner,” Stanford declared after a minute. Spinner cocked his head. 

“Are we just repeating the same three people or something?” He asked. 

Stanford shrugged. “Truth or dare.”

Spinner frowned thoughtfully for a second. “Dare.”

“Kiss Vert.”

“Hey!” Vert and Spinner both exclaimed. 

“Why?!” Spinner shouted.

“ _ Because you made me kiss him so you have to suffer too! _ ” Stanford roared. 

“Why  _ me _ ?” Vert sighed.

“Because you’re a  _ ho _ ,” Stanford declared.

Vert sighed again. “You guys are just contributing to the delinquency.”

Stanford grinned and shrugged. “But you’re not a minor, so it doesn’t matter. Pucker up, bitch.”

Vert shook his head. “The name calling is unnecessary.”

“So was the way you kissed me, so deal.”

Vert pushed his hair back from his face and looked at Spinner. Spinner just shrugged and sighed, shuffling to the middle of the circle. With their height difference, Vert had to sit back on his heels while Spinner stayed almost completely upright on his knees. 

Vert didn’t kiss Spinner like he’d kissed Stanford. He’d been proving a point then. He wasn’t “a coward about it” either, but he kept it relatively chaste. No tongue. 

Spinner shuffled back to his spot as soon as they pulled back. He hummed thoughtfully for a minute before looking to Sherman. “Truth or dare.”

“Dare. And if you dare me to kiss anyone you’re going to die.”

Spinner nodded. “Noted. Dare you to eat a whole lemon.”

“Kay,” Sherman replied, already getting up and going to the fridge. “Rind or no?”

Spinner made a face. “No. I’m not an  _ animal _ .”

Sherman raised and eyebrow at that and grabbed a paring knife. He made quick work of peelking the rind off and returned with his now-skinless lemon. He sat back down and started eating it without even flinching. “This isn’t gonna bug me,” he declared around a mouthful of lemon. “So I’m just gonna pick. Agura.”

Agura grinned. “Dare.”

“Kiss Vert.”

“Oh come on!” Vert exclaimed. “Knock it off dude.”

“You a voyeur or something?” Agura teased. 

Sherman shook his head. “Nah. Just wanna see if Vert’ll take the shot.”

Vert gave Sherman a flat look. He just shrugged. “Why?” Vert asked.

“Cause it’s funny.”

Agura shook her head and rose up on her knees. Vert had forgotten she wasn’t wearing pants, but thankfully she was wearing boxers, as opposed to a thong or something. She shuffled over to Vert’s spot, grabbed his chin, and kissed him. He started to raise a hand, though he wasn’t sure why. She reached out with her free hand and pushed it down. He let her, and when she pulled back she was grinning.

“Interesting,” she hummed, shuffling back to her spot. “Good enough for ya, voyeur?” Sherman threw his hands up, shook his head, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I hate you.”

“Okay, hold on,” Vert interjected. “What do you mean, ‘interesting’?”

Agura raised her eyebrows. “Do you really want me to say it?”

Vert furrowed his brows at her. “What the hell did I  _ do _ ?”

Agura snickered. “Nothing, nothing. It’s just funny.”

Vert sighed heavily, head already in his hands. “I’m going to regret asking, but what?”

Agura smiled wickedly. “It’s just funny how, when I went to move your hand, you let me. Makes you seem kinda submissive or something.”

Vert sighed again, heavily.  _ Oooof course _ . 

“That’s a stretch, love,” Stanford declared. “You’re the only girl on the team, I’d be shocked if anyone on the team  _ wouldn’t _ let you take control in a situation like that.”

“Thank you!” Vert exclaimed. “You guys just love to jump to conclusions.”

They all muttered and shrugged before Agura cut them off. “Stanford.”

“Oh dear.”

“Truth or dare?”

Stanford sighed heavily. “This isn’t going to end well regardless, so truth.”

Agura smiled. “What’s your biggest kink?”

Vert and Sherman both got caught off guard while taking a drink and choked. Stanford sighed even heavier and covered his face with his hands. “You are an evil, evil woman.”

“What is it Stanford?”

Stanford groaned, long and drawn out, and threw his head back against the couch. 

“What is it Stanford?”

He sighed even more heavily. “Pegging,” he said, in a very small voice.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you,” Agura teased. Vert was absolutely positive then that they were, at the very least, fucking. 

“It’s pegging, alright!” Stanford shouted. “And you’re  _ fucking  _ evil.”

Agura just laughed and sat back. 

“I’m picking Zoom,” Stanford sighed. 

“Truth.”

“If you had to sleep with one of us, who would it be?”

Zoom jerked his thumb at Vert. “Him.”

Vert choked on his beer. 

“Thank… you?” He said. He could feel his face turning redder still. 

_ Shtishitshitshitshitshitshit. _

“Spinner!” Zoom yelled, pointing at him. Spinner jumped.

“Truth.”

“Name your worst kink.”

Spinner sighed and got up. “I’m not giving you fucks any form of ammo. I’m taking the shot.”

Zoom grinned and followed Spinner over to the counter. He poured him a shot of Jaeger. Spinner sighed and took the shot, gagging. “I hate you so fucking much,” he wheezed. They came back to the circle.

“Vert,” Spinner said, still wheezing a little. 

Vert looked at Spinner and tried desperately to assess which of his options would be worse based on his expression.

“Dare,” he finally said.

Spinner thought for a minute before sighing. “I dare you to call the last person you texted who wasn’t one of us and ask them for a dare with no context.”

Vert gave Spinner a flat look. “You don’t have any ideas, do you?”

Spinner shrugged and shook his head. 

Vert pulled out his phone and checked his texts. “That’d be A.J.,” he muttered, pulling up his contact page so he could call him. He sighed. “He’s gonna pick something fucked up.”

The phone rang three times before A.J.picked up. “Hey Vert, what’s up?”

Vert sighed. “I need a dare.”

A.J. laughed and Vert knew he was fucked. “Who  _ haven’t _ you kissed?”

“Hey!”  Vert exclaimed. 

“Sherman and Zoom,” Agura declared, smiling. “And Sherman refused to kiss him.”

Vert groaned. “A.J. I already hate you.”

A.J. laughed. “Oh, just for that I’m gonna be an even  _ bigger _ asshole.” He paused for a minute. “Do you have Pocky?”

Vert groaned again and put his head in his free hand. “I hate you so fucking much.”

“I’ll take that as a yes then. Play the Pocky game with Zoom, Vert.”

“A.J.”

“Do it Vert.”

“You are the actual worst  _ why would you choose the Pokcy game _ .”

“Because you said you hated me. Don’t wimp out!”

The line promptly went dead and Vert sighed, leaning even further into his hand until he was almost doubled over.

“I’m sorry, but what’s the Pocky game?” Zoom asked. 

“It’s a game where you both put one end of a Pocky in your mouth and bite it until someone chickens out or you kiss,” Sherman explained. 

“It’s like gay chicken with cookies,” Spinner added. 

Zoom laughed. “Ah, okay.”

Vert groaned again. “You’re actually  _ okay _ with it?”

“Yeah,” Zoom replied. He was munching on Doritos - and really, how had Vert not noticed that he’d grabbed those - and looking very nonchalant for someone who was supposed to play the Pocky game with someone  _ he’d said he’d sleep with not even five minutes ago _ .

Vert sighed and got up. “They’re in my desk, one second.” he shuffled down the hall to his room, desperately trying not to lose his cool.

Was he seriously about to kiss Zoom? Who he now knew was gay and into him, to some degree?

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to thank A.J. or kill him.

He grabbed the box of Pocky from his desk drawer/snack stash and made his way back to the living room. The others all looked up at him expectantly. He tried not to blush or make a weird face.

Given Agura’s look, he probably failed. 

He sat back down, in the middle this time, and tore the box open. It was being more difficult than it had any right to be. He finally got it open and pulled one of the cookie sticks out. 

“Oooh, I want the chocolate end,” Zoom declared, snatching the Pocky from Vert’s hand. Vert just shook his head and set the box aside. Zoom was still adorable, and probably a little dumb.

And Vert was incredibly fucked.

The others were being a bit loud, and Vert wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but he was pretty sure Agura and Stanford were bickering. Vert was only half paying attention to anything, so he was a little startled by Zoom’s hand on his face. Zoom turned his head so that he was properly facing Zoom again. Vert tried not to lose his mind.

Which was a losing battle to say the least.

Zoom had the chocolate end of the Pocky resting between his teeth. It was both incredibly cute and very, very hot. He shuffled forwards a little bit so that Vert could reach the other end. 

Vert tried to ignore the shaking in his hands as he took the cookie stick in his mouth. Zoom was still grinning around the Pocky, and he made a small questioning noise and gave Vert a thumbs up. Vert also gave him a thumbs up and Zoom started nibbling on the cookies, inching his way closer. 

Vert tried not to lose his shit and he got closer to Zoom.

He knew he could back up, but he really didn't want to. 

Zoom’s eyes closed and he tipped his head the tiniest bit.  _ Is he..? _

Vert didn’t have time to really think about it before their lips met.

Zoom’s tongue brushed his the tiniest bit, probably an accident, but Vert damn near whined because of it. He reached up with one hand and cupped Zoom’s face. He let his tongue slide over Zoom’s and-

He was kissing Zoom.

_ They were just supposed to be playing the Pocky game. _

Vert tensed and threw himself backwards. Zoom blinked down at him in bewilderment. He started to say something, only to be cut off by Agura’s shouting.

“Stanford!” He threw his hands up, as if he didn’t know what he’d done.

“ _ What?! _ ” Agura sighed, stood up, and pulled Stanford up with her. Vert winced, waiting for her to hit him or something.

Instead, she threw him over her shoulder and started off towards the hallway where all the bedrooms were. Stanford yelped. “Where are we going?”

“My room,” Agura replied.

“Why?” 

Agura snorted. “So I can fuck you.”

The last thing Vert heard before the door to Agura’s room opened and closed was Stanford saying “yes!” very loudly.

“And with that, I’m going to the games room,” Sherman declared, standing.

“Ditto,” Spinner said, following after him. Neither of them said a thing about Vert and Zoom. Zoom started to turn back to Vert, but he was already on his feet.

“I should… go to bed…” He muttered, before promptly turning and all but running to his room. Once inside, he sighed heavily. He leaned against the door for a minute before shuffling to the bed and flopping over onto it on his face. 

Less than a minute later, there was a knock on the door. 

Vert grunted in response and rolled over. It creaked open, and Zoom peered in. “What gives, man?” He asked, slipping into the room. He shut the door behind him and leaned back against it. He held his drink casually around the rim by the tips of his fingers.

“It’s nothing,” Vert grumbled, sitting up to lean against the wall. He kept his eyes on his hands, clasped together in his lap. “Just… tired.”

Zoom snorted. “Bullshit.” He pushed off the door, shuffling closer to the bed. Vert glanced up to see him standing a foot from the bed, hand on his hip. 

“What?” Vert tried to sound surprised, or indignant, but it came out as half-assed. He winced internally and hoped Zoom didn’t call him on it. 

Zoom’s frown deepened.

_ For fuck’s sake. _

“Vert,” Zoom said, much softer. He stepped forward and perched on the edge of the bed. He rested one hand on Vert’s knee, and Vert tried not to focus on it. Vert scooted forward a bit, not wanting to be rude. “C’mon man.”

Vert sighed heavily. “It’s nothing.” He really didn’t know what else to say. He was kind of stuck on the fact that he’d kissed Zoom, and gone overboard, and now he was sitting in his bed. He felt a flush creeping up his neck and into his cheeks.  _ Fuck fuck fuck. _

“Vert.” His tone was harsher this time, more insistent, but still gentle at the same time. “I know it’s cause of how you kissed me.”

Vert’s head snapped up, and his eyes met Zoom’s. His head was cocked, and he looked really worried. Vert’s cheeks burned. “Bahhh- I, uh. Well…”

Zoom grinned, and for a second, Vert wasn’t sure what to think. Scenarios raced through his head. Zoom laughing at him. Telling the others that Vert, fearless leader Vert, was soft for him. Zoom being angry. Zoom telling him off and leaving.

He hadn’t expected Zoom to push him back into the bed and climb into his lap. He planted his hands on either side of Vert’s head and grinned down at him, leaning in slowly. Vert wasn’t sure what he was planning to do, but then Zoom was kissing his neck gently and he damn near lost it there. 

“We-” Vert choked out. He inhaled slowly, shut his eyes, and sighed. “You’ve been drinking. We- we can’t.”

Zoom leaned back, out of reach of Vert, and Vert opened his eyes. Zoom was still perched in his lap, shaking his head at Vert and  _ smiling _ . “I actually haven’t. I don’t know if you noticed, but I didn’t take the shot option on  _ any _ of those dares. And my cup is just root beer.”

Vert furrowed his brows. “What?”

Zoom leaned back, plucking his cup up off the floor. He held it out to Vert. “I haven’t been drinking. Smell it.”

Vert propped himself up on one elbow and took the cup. It didn’t smell like alcohol, just normal root beer. He frowned slightly and took a sip.  _ Just root beer. _

Zoom snagged the cup from Vert’s hand, leaning back to put it on the floor again. Vert reached out instinctively and grabbed his hip, worried that he might fall otherwise. The sly grin Zoom shot him made his ears burn. “You’re not… drunk?” Vert whispered. 

Zoom leaned over Vert again. “Not in the least,” he whispered back. Vert flushed deeper, and Zoom grinned. He lifted one hand to cup Vert’s jaw, grinning wider when he turned redder. He leaned in closer, slowly, and Vert couldn’t help the gasp he let out when his nose bumped Zoom’s. “Excited or something?” He teased. It didn’t have the full effect that Zoom had obviously been going for, due to the slight tremble in his voice. Vert could feel his breath against his lips faintly. He nodded a tiny bit.

Zoom finally closed the distance between them and kissed him.

Vert  _ totally _ didn’t whimper.

He’d thought about kissing Zoom for  _ so fucking long _ , and then he  _ had _ and it had been insane, and now it was properly happening and he didn’t know what to do. One hand still sat on Zoom’s hip, and the other lay useless at his side. Zoom leaned into him more, leaving them pressed together from chest to knee.

Zoom was the one to pull back, though he didn’t leave much room between them. He was flushed and grinning. “Probably should’ve asked you if  _ you  _ were drunk first,” he breathed. “But really, can you  _ blame _ me?”

Vert laughed softly. “No. And no.” He shifted his elbow so that he wasn’t propped up anymore, letting them both fall flat onto the bed. He tangled his now-free hand in Zoom’s hair and pulled him in for another kiss. With a muffled gasp, Zoom followed. Vert was in  _ heaven _ . He clung to Zoom and let him take control, knowing full well that Zoom would tease him for it.

Zoom pulled back slowly, Vert’s lip caught in his teeth. Vert whined and ran a hand through Zoom’s hair. “I could keep kissing you forever,” Zoom whispered, one hand trailing down Vert’s face.

“ _ Please _ ,” Vert whispered. Zoom smiled softly and leaned in again. Vert clutched him close and sighed happily.

He definitely needed to thank A.J.. 

**Author's Note:**

> Validate meeeeeeee.


End file.
